November 10, 2003

It's post-season MLB awards time! First up, Rookies of the Year. Selected for the AL and NL respectively were Angel Berroa and Dontrelle Willis. Berroa beat out Matsui in one of the closest votes ever.

I'm glad Matsui didn't win. While technically he falls within the limits of an MLB rook, he's had professional experience before, so I feel as if that kind of took him out of it. I was actually pulling for Baldelli, but good on Berroa.

I'm glad Matsui didn't win. While technically he falls within the limits of an MLB rook, he's had professional experience before, so I feel as if that kind of took him out of it. Isn't A, AA and AAA baseball also Pro Ball? I don't really know how the Japanese leagues compare to our AAA league, however I don't think that there's a whole lot of difference where you play pro ball; the major leagues are the big ticket and as such, any pro ball outside of that league shouldn't discredit your ability to win this award. I liked Podsednik for NL Rook of the Year but maybe that's because he held my sorry fantasy team together.

Totally crushed about Scotty Po losing out. How can you argue with these stats? "Willis appeared in 27 games and went 14-6 with a 3.30 ERA; Podsednik played in 154 games and batted .314 with nine homers, 58 RBIs, 43 stolen bases and 100 runs scored. Podsednik led NL rookies in average, steals, walks, multihit games, triples, hits, total bases, runs and on-base percentage. With an eighth-inning home run on the last day of the season, he became the fourth Major Leaguer since 1900 to bat .300 with at least 40 steals and 100 runs scored, joining Ichico Suzuki (2001), "Shoeless" Joe Jackson (1911) and Jimmy Barrett (1900)." They really ought to consider doing it like The Sporting News does and have separate awards for pitchers and everyday fielding players.

With an eighth-inning home run on the last day of the season, he became the fourth Major Leaguer since 1900 to bat .300 with at least 40 steals and 100 runs scored, joining Ichico Suzuki (2001), "Shoeless" Joe Jackson (1911) and Jimmy Barrett (1900)." I think that's a typo. It should probably be "fourth Major League ROOKIE". It matches for all three players (if Jackson still qualified after playing in 3 seasons (and 124 plate appearances) prior to 1911). If it wasn't a typo, then they've been shoddy in their homework as Barry Bonds, Rickey Henderson, Jose Canseco, Kenny Lofton and Lou Brock immediately come to mind for meeting that criteria as non-rookies.

I have agreed since the late 90s that Japanese imports should not be considered rookies, and was not happy when those Mariners won it. (even more unhappy when Ichiro won MVP undeservedly too.) But, I accepted it because those were the rules, and if I was voting I'd have followed the rules and voted for them. The Boss is right in being angry at those guys, that's the same kind of violation as the writer who hated Williams and left him off the ballot completely. If you can't be objective and follow the rules you shouldn't be voting. That said if Hideki was ineligible, as I'd agree he should be, then Berroa was the right choice. Not as convinced in the NL either, Dontrelle was the media's baby and not quite as good as the hype (still damn good for a rook though)